The Overlooked Luxury SUV Worth Buying

The mid-sized luxury SUV segment might be the most competitive in the industry right now. Shoppers often stick to names they recognize, like the Acura MDX or the Lexus TX. What about the Infiniti QX60? This mid-sized SUV does just about everything right and rarely receives the praise it deserves. We are here to rectify that issue. The Infiniti QX60 boasts a bold exterior design, a luxurious cabin that outvalues its competitors, and a major powertrain upgrade for 2025 that solves its most common gripe. If you are on the lookout for a new mid-sized SUV, the QX60 deserves a closer look if you haven’t given it a chance before. Here’s why it might be the right pick for you.

Base Trim Engine

2.0-liter turbo inline-4

Base Trim Transmission

9-speed automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Front-Wheel Drive

Base Trim Horsepower

268 hp @ 5,600 rpm

Base Trim Torque

286 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm

Make

Infiniti

Model

QX60

Segment

Midsize Luxury SUV

The Interior Provides Both Quality And Value

Let’s face it — the most important part of any SUV is the interior. If you cared about performance, you would have gotten a sports car. If you cared about fuel economy, you would have gotten a Toyota Prius. The best part about the Infiniti QX60 is its interior, which will exceed your expectations of quality.

True Premium Materials For Less Than Its Rivals

We are going to come out of the gates swinging and say that the Infiniti QX60 has one of the nicest interior designs of any mid-sized SUV on the market. From the moment you step inside, you are greeted with soft-touch surfaces, an impressive amount of contrast stitching, and material quality that looks more Bentley than Nissan. Critics have noted that the QX60 shares a platform with the Nissan Pathfinder, which is seen as a knock against its quality. We couldn’t disagree more. Infiniti clearly spent considerable time ensuring there is little to no overlap in the interior design of the two models. The only component they both share is the overall shape and placement of the central cupholder area. Even the shifter and driving mode dial are different and in different places relative to the Nissan model.

Take a look at the dashboard, door panels, and seats, and you will see this Infiniti SUV offers craftsmanship not found in any Nissan model. To have a similar experience in a European equivalent, you will have to spend a lot more cash for the privilege. The 2025 QX60 Luxe starts at $58,150 for FWD models and $60,150 equipped with AWD. For 2026, the QX60 Luxe starts at $56,990. With that, you get heated and ventilated front seats and heated second-row seating, three-zone automatic climate control, and a 17-speaker Bose audio system.

For 2026, the standard Luxe trim sound system is now a Klipsch 16-speaker system. The Bose system is a major upgrade that you will immediately hear, replacing the lackluster nine-speaker system found in the base Pure trim. For comparison, the 2026 BMW X7 xDrive40i requires an additional $1,650 to unlock the Premium Package, which offers the desirable Harman Kardon 16-speaker system. If we are talking value-per-dollar, the argument between the QX60 and its German competitors isn’t particularly close.

Cabin Refinement That Actually Matters

One of the most underrated aspects of what makes a true luxury vehicle experience is cabin noise isolation. If you get a chance to take a highway cruise in the QX60, you will immediately notice that quietness is one of its key strengths. You might think that cabin quietness isn’t vital to the experience, but we disagree. This level of refinement is something more affordable competitors cannot replicate. Once you experience your first road trip with the QX60, you will notice how the journey feels less draining. The quality of the QX60 is something directly impactful to its occupants, not just for show.

The 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is standard across all trims and features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If you opt for the above-base Pure trim, you get a matching 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which gives the cabin a sleek, modern look. For 2026, the 12.3-inch digital cluster is now standard across all trims. The digital cluster both looks good and functions well with integrated navigation that makes the experience seamless. Is it the coolest-looking setup in the segment? No. Yet, as far as pure functionality is concerned, this cluster setup does all that and more.

The 2025 Model Year QX60 Had A Powertrain Overhaul

While the interior of an SUV may be critical, its powertrain quality is what you will be thinking about 10 years down the line. The 2025 model year of the QX60 introduced an entirely new powertrain to replace the outdated V-6 that had served as the very backbone of Nissan’s vehicles for over two decades.

VC-Turbo Power Is The Way Forward

While Nissan’s 3.5-liter VQ35 is one of the most recognizable naturally-aspirated V-6 engines of all time, it is a bit antiquated in today’s electrified and turbocharged market. Nissan’s solution is the world’s first production variable compression engine, dubbed the KR20DDET. This 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, also known as the VC-Turbo, produces 268 horsepower and 286 pound-feet of torque.

Despite being turbocharged, the VC-Turbo provides its peak torque output at 4,400 RPM, which gives it a much more linear power band when compared with similarly-sized turbocharged inline-four engines. The VC-Turbo still provides more torque down low than the outgoing V-6 ever did, and this is a difference you feel right away. The VC-Turbo is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, which feels much nicer than the CVTs that Nissan has become known for in recent years.

Certain reviews have characterized the VC-Turbo as lackluster because of its lack of peak power, but we think these claims are overblown. Most QX60 owners will rarely, if ever, go full throttle, and that’s just not a common driving pattern for commuters. With about a 7.5-second 0-to-60 MPH time, the QX60 is not quick, but rather average for the segment. Let’s not forget this is a three-row family SUV built for comfort and quality, not outright performance. Considering that, the trade-off is reasonable for what you are getting at this price point.

Fuel Economy Takes A Huge Leap

Making a three-row family SUV achieve 30+ MPG Combined is somewhat of an engineering miracle. Very few models in this segment achieve this feat. Even the most fuel-efficient FWD QX60 can only achieve 22 MPG City and 28 MPG Highway. That is still a significant leap from the 21/26 MPG that the previous V-6 engine offered. MPG figures also improve for AWD models, increasing to 22/27 MPG compared to the prior 20/25 MPG. Those figures aren’t class-leading per se, but you will feel these gains over the years of ownership. There isn’t much of a gap between AWD and FWD models, which means that AWD is a viable option without paying too high a real-world penalty.​​​​​​​

A Well-Thought-Out Third-Row Design

The most defining feature of the Infiniti QX60 is that it is a three-row SUV. The ease of access and functionality of this rear-most seating area can be a dealbreaker for most families.

The Easiest Third-Row Access In The Segment

If there is a redeeming quality about the Infiniti QX60 that most people don’t even realize, it’s how pain-free it is to get in and out of the third row. You may think it sounds crazy, but the QX60 is genuinely the best in its class in this regard. The magic of the QX60’s third row is that the second-row seat tumbles and slides forward with little to no effort. All that is required is the click of one button located on the side of the seat next to the tilt lever, and just like that, you can slide into the rear-most seating area. An additional benefit is that you don’t have to remove any second-row child seats to utilize this function. If you have kids of different age groups, these are the kind of family-friendly features you will appreciate over time.

Cargo Room And Practicality

The Infiniti QX60 offers 14.5 cubic feet of cargo room behind the third row. That is enough for a grocery run with all seven seats occupied, but not for a full weekend getaway with everyone’s stuff included. Fold the third row flat, and that space increases to 41.6 cubic feet, with the maximum cargo space being 75.4 cubic feet with all the seats down. The Acura MDX offers 16.3 cubic feet behind the third row, while the Lexus TX leads the segment with 20.2 cubic feet. Even then, the QX60 offers more than enough cargo space for most families in real-world use.

How The QX60 Compares To Its Primary Rivals

If we are going for the Infiniti QX60’s closest competitors, the most frequently cross-shopped options are the Acura MDX, Lexus TX, and Volvo XC90.

Head-To-Head Comparisons

The Acura MDX offers sharper handling and better third-row passenger space than the Infiniti QX60. The Lexus TX leads the segment in cargo room and interior space while also prioritizing ride comfort. The Volvo XC90 is built for those who want a bit more European sophistication without going full-blown BMW.

Where the QX60 beats all three of these rivals is in pure value. For the price you pay, its standard equipment, interior quality, and comfort levels are simply unmatched. The $58,150 MSRP QX60 Luxe includes ProPilot Assist adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera, remote start, Google-integrated navigation, heated and ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, and the 17-speaker Bose audio system. At this price, you will not find another three-row SUV that offers the same level of features.

Safety, Warranty, And Ownership

The 2024 model year of the Infiniti QX60 earned a five-star overall safety rating and received a Top Safety Pick in 2024 by the IIHS. Standard safety features include front and rear automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams. Stepping above the base Pure trim, you get the benefit of adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, road sign recognition, and emergency evasive steering assist.

To top that off, Infiniti offers some of the best warranty coverage in the luxury segment: a four-year/60,000-mile limited warranty, a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty, and three years or 30,000 miles of complimentary scheduled maintenance. This coverage exceeds most of its competitors, and the included maintenance package will provide meaningful relief to owners in the first few years. If you are considering a new three-row SUV, these terms are worth calculating when cross-shopping relevant models. The Infiniti QX60 is not the perfect family SUV for every shopper, but it does offer a compelling package that is simply overlooked too often by most mainstream consumers.

Sources: OEMs